Screen Name

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

This Facebook account is already present

Your Club account has been locked due to a breach of our Terms of Service. Please set up a new account in line with the Club rules. Review the Club Rules. Alternatively, you can email us by completing our contact form.

Please enter a valid email address

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

Croatian press lament tragic night

The Croatian press were united in their grief for the national
football side on Saturday following the team's cruel
quarter-final exit from UEFA EURO 2008 at the hands of Turkey in a
penalty shootout on Friday.

The Croats had taken the lead in the 119th minute only for the
Turks to level in the second minute of time added on and then
progress to the last four after a 3-1 win on penalties.

"It is terrible, tragic, unbelievable!!" cried daily
newspaper
Slobodna Dalmacija. "Croatia were the best side in a
match which was more like a real battle, it was epic and a
marathon," it continued.

Like the two main newspapers
Vecernji List and
Jutarnji List,
Dalmacija published on its front page a large photograph
of Croat coach Slaven Bilic consoling the Kovac brothers, Robert
and captain Niko. "We are inconsolable, but lets not despair.
Because this team has a future and we can be justifiably proud of
them," added the newspaper.

The same photo on the front page of
Vecernji is titled "HEADS HIGH!" in capital
letters. Other photographs published on the inside pages show the
shock on the faces of the supporters both inside the Ernst-Happel
Stadium in Vienna and in the main square in Zagreb.

"Those damn seconds!", yelled
Vecernji. "That should have been a fairytale. One
minute separated Croats from ecstasy. But the evening will remain
one of the saddest of all time", it wept whilst adding
"the Croatians were pushed into the ravine by a sporting
injustice. Our boys deserved to be in the semi-finals but football
was transformed into a tragedy," deplored
Vecernji.

Jutarnji List said that the players would remain in their
heart despite the desperate finish. "They didn't succeed,
but we love them anyway. It was a bad ending to a wonderful
story."